For Better or Worse
by AllusionToAnIllusion
Summary: What if our favorite duo had been married during some of our favorite scenes? Fanfiction present for alwaysbrennan.


**This has been left under the colorful and fully decorated Christmas tree belonging to alwaysbrennan. I tried using the chimney to make it more authentic but, well, that didn't really work out. Luckily, the door was open. Crisis averted. **

**Okay, so this is gonna be a little different. This one isn't a one-shot but a small series of them. The second and final one will be up by tomorrow night. I really hope you like this alwaysbrennan!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle but it was on my Christmas list. **

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She ran up the motel's stairs as fast as her legs allowed, maybe even faster. She couldn't help but think of all the things they hadn't done yet. There were no little children running around their loft yet, they hadn't sat on a balcony in Paris and sipped champagne (which, however un-Beckett it was, had always been a fantasy of hers), they hadn't lived all of their dreams, they hadn't grown old together. They hadn't even said goodbye. And, stubborn as she was, she would not let him leave without a proper goodbye. And that goodbye was expected to take place decades from now, after they'd finished living their lives and accomplishing all they could. She was not going to let him leave her.

Bursting through the door she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him sitting there, chest heaving in and out. He was breathing. He was okay; he was safe.

"Rick!" Her voice was a mix of relief and brokenness. She was trying to keep from crying. If she had burst through the door to be faced with a dead body, his dead body, she would have been completely undone. There was only so much she could take, and that would have torn her apart at the seams.

"It's clear, he's gone. I'm fine, Ryan needs an ambulance." He addressed the situation professionally, rattling off all the answers to the questions in her head. But she could see the fear in his eyes. She could feel how terrified he was, and how guilty he felt.

"No, I don't." She turned and noticed Ryan for the first time, lying on the floor clutching his head. It was then that Esposito ran into the room, sprinting straight for his partner. Appropriate timing, she thought. And just as Esposito had run to his partner, she ran to hers. But he was more than just her partner. He was the love of her life, her savior, her husband and hopefully the future father of her children. God, she was so glad he was okay.

"I'm so glad that you're okay." And so she told him because she'd promised at some point to always tell him the truth. She untied his hands and as soon as she was sure he had no injuries she all but propelled herself into his lap, fiercely wrapping her arms around his body. He returned the embrace, searching for the comfort he craved and trying to hush her worries at the same time. It was against her no affection at work policy but, well, this was worthy of an exception. Her husband had been held captive by a serial killer. She'd thought he was dead. Yeah, this was an exception.

"He's the Triple Killer," He whispered it into her hair and she stroked the back of his head softly, "he set Gates up to be a copycat." He sounded almost haunted as he explained what had led them to this situation.

"I know, I did the math when you and Ryan didn't come back from talking to Jerry." She breathed in and out, trying to slow her racing heart rate. She placed a quick kiss to his neck before setting her head down on his shoulder again.

"How did you know to come here?" He was confused. But there was also pride in his voice, and that was why she smiled slightly.

"Your mom called, she said that you told her that you loved her and figured something must be terribly wrong." She chuckled quietly, realizing how ridiculous that sounded. She felt him laugh, short and quiet, but the noise was more sardonic than joyous. She pressed herself closer to him, craving to feel him breathing beneath her.

"I figured she might. Good girl." He burrowed further into her hair, tightening his grasp on her waist. She just concentrated on listening to his breathing, reassuring herself that he was right there. He was here and he was fine. He was still here with her like he promised he would be. For better or worse they'd always be together, that was the promise both of them had made. And Kate Beckett was nothing if not a woman of her word. She fully intended to keep that promise.

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**Good? Bad? Horrible? Great (which I doubt)? I really, really want to know. **


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